Monday, January 7, 2019

Rare
warbler sighting thrills birders and photographers in
Abbotsford
It should be wintering somewhere in the West Indies with its bird
brothers and bird sisters. But instead of spending time in Turks
and Caicos or Barbados, a tiny yellow Cape May warbler has somehow
ended up in Abbotsford, B.C. "We don't see this here," said bird
photographer Nick Balachanoff. "To my understanding, it's the
first identified Cape May warbler in the Lower Mainland or Fraser
Valley." The Cape May was spotted a few days ago by birder Neal
Doan in Mill Lake Park. Doan put out the word to the local birding
community, alerting Balachanoff, who was able to capture a number
of beautiful photos. Karin Larson reports. (CBC)

In
the great debate to save the orcas, the apex predator is
missing
Danny Westneat writes: "It’s time to call it: We have decided,
collectively though passively, to let the Puget Sound orcas go
extinct. I say this because it should now be obvious to all that
the whales are starving to death. The other day this newspaper ran
before and after drone images of one whale, K25, that show it to
be clearly wasting away. There also was a photo of another whale,
J17, with a head misshapen from malnutrition. They simply need
more food. Specifically, they need more chinook, or king, salmon.
It’s an emergency, which means they need them now. Yet for all the
political talk and the task forces, that one clear goal — giving
the orcas more king salmon to eat immediately — is the one thing
that’s not on the menu. That’s because those same fish are on our
menus. (Seattle Times)

From the 2018 Orca Task Force Final Report to the Governor:
"We align ourselves with the Recovery Plan for Southern Resident
Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) prepared by the National Marine
Fisheries Service (2008) and its goal of an average population
growth rate of 2.3 percent per year for 28 years. Between now and
2022, our goal is to witness evidence of consistently
well-nourished whales, more live births and the survival of
several thriving young orcas. By 2028, our goals are to see the
primary indicator of body condition of the whales (the ratio of
head width to body length in adults) remain high and stable
between seasons and across years and to see an increase in the
population to 84 whales (10 more whales in 10 years)[Page 8]."

Health database for endangered orcas could help struggling Southern Resident population
The population of critically endangered orca whales seems to have
reached a tipping point. Just 74 Southern Residents are left in the
wild, a number that will likely drop this year after news broke this
week of two more starving orcas. A wildlife veterinarian on Orcas
Island has one idea that could help: a comprehensive health database to
enable intensive care to each and every member of the J, K and L pods.
Joe Gaydos is chief scientist at Orcas Island-based SeaDoc Society. His
organization has taken inspiration from a program that provides
personalized veterinary care to endangered mountain gorillas in Africa.
Using a database to closely track every animal, Gaydos says vets there
have helped grow that population — to its highest level in nearly a
century. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Humpback
whale population surges off B.C.'s West Coast, says research
group
While the endangered state of southern resident killer whales
received plenty of attention in 2018, the humpback whale
population has seen a resurgence. According to numbers collected
for a year-end report by the Marine Education and Research Society
— which conducts research into marine life — the humpback whale
population off northeastern Vancouver Island, reached 86 in 2018,
up from seven in 2004. "We are looking definitely at a huge
increase," society researcher Jackie Hildering told On the Island
guest host Khalil Acktar. Laura Sciarpelletti reports. (CBC)

Ecology
approves updated spill plan for Trans Mountain Pipeline
The state Department of Ecology has approved an oil spill response
plan from the Canadian government for the 69-mile spur of the
Trans Mountain Pipeline that runs through Whatcom and Skagit
counties. Canada purchased the Trans Mountain Pipeline from Kinder
Morgan in 2018 and as the new owner was required by Washington
state law to write a new oil spill response plan. In September,
Ecology found Canada’s original proposed spill response plan
inadequate. Ecology spokeswoman Sandy Howard said Canada submitted
a revised plan, which Ecology has approved. Kimberly Cauvel
reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Hereditary chiefs in B.C. stand opposed to Coastal GasLink pipeline despite injunction
Hereditary chiefs and their supporters are standing their ground in a
remote area of B.C., despite a court injunction saying they must move
and grant access to a company trying to build a pipeline in the area.
"We want them right off Wet'suwet'en territory," Chief Madeek said
Sunday of the proposed Coastal GasLink project, which would carry
natural gas from the Dawson Creek area to a plant near Kitimat.
TransCanada has said it signed agreements with all First Nations along
the proposed pipeline route to LNG Canada's $40-billion liquefied
natural gas project on the coast. Chantelle Bellrichard reports. (CBC)
See also: RCMP expected to break up northern B.C. First Nation’s check points Jennifer Saltman reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Proposal
Would Stabilize Payments for Forest-Dependent Counties
The program that was supposed to help rural counties weather
declining timber sales revenue was fraught with uncertainty. A
bipartisan bill would replace the Secure Rural Schools and Self
Determination Act with a predictable and sustainable funding
stream, proponents say. Bryce Oates reports. (Daily Yonder)

WSF: Mystery bacteria caused accelerated corrosion at Colman Dock
Washington State Ferries says an unidentified organism is responsible
for accelerated corrosion on some of the new steel pilings that are
being counted on to support the new ferry terminal at Colman Dock in
Seattle for the next 75 years. During a routine monitoring process in
June, workers observed “accelerated” bright orange corrosion on some of
the steel piles at the waterline, said WSF spokesperson Broch Bender.
Testing of the corrosion has indicated an unknown bacteria was to blame,
but the specific organism has yet to be determined, Bender said. The
agency is familiar with bacteria that cause corrosion in Puget Sound,
but “this one is unknown,” Bender said. “We’re not sure what it was.”
Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service
by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@)
salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you
can unsubscribe at any time.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482